Department for Transport

Transport Update

Grant Shapps: I am pleased to announce over £1bn investment in the East Coast Digital Programme, which aims to introduce the European Train Control System (ETCS) to the Southern section of the East Coast Mainline.European Train Control System, also known as digital signalling, brings signalling onto a screen in the train’s cab. This provides drivers with continuous real time information, for example maximum allowable speeds, and removes the need for line-side signals. Trackside sensors are retained to track the train on the network and support adaptive decision making, through assessing and understanding that particular train’s characteristics such as speed and braking distance. This investment will fund the fitment of trains and lineside technology on the stretch of line from London King’s Cross to Stoke Tunnel, just North of Peterborough, as well as the integration of this technology into the network and its operating companies.This will be the first deployment of European Train Control System on a mixed-use mainline in the UK rail network, increasing punctuality and reliability for both passenger and freight services across the whole line. Trains will be able to run closer together safely, enabling more services to run on the same stretch of track. Fewer signalling failures and faster recovery from any delays will make the service more reliable for the customer.This programme of work presents a unique opportunity to enable a positive step-change in technology on the network, with a move away from systems of signalling that emerged from Victorian times, and towards a high-performing digital alternative. As the rail sector continues to recover from the pandemic, it is vitally important that capacity and reliability are both increased in a financially viable way as demand returns.This large upfront investment in the rail sector also presents an opportunity for savings in the long run, as maintenance of these assets is more affordable across the whole life of the signals. Furthermore, this programme will create approximately 5,000 highly skilled jobs in the rail industry.Initial enabler projects have already begun, including the fitment of trains and some infrastructure on the Northern City Line, with works to continue through the 2020s.This major investment is symbolic of this government’s ongoing commitment to modernising our railways, making them fit for the 21st century. Deployment of this innovative technology for the first time on a mixed-use mainline in the UK will deliver improvements for the user, support the creation of a financially sustainable railway and also grow and level up the economy by delivering an upgrade to this vital economic artery which stretches along the spine of this country.

Roads Update

Grant Shapps: I wish to inform the House that my Department has today published its response to the Government consultation on establishing a Road Collision Investigation Branch.This government is committed to improving road safety and reducing the number of people who are killed or seriously injured on our roads each year. I am pleased to announce that the Government intends to bring forward new measures to enable the creation of the Branch which, following discussions with stakeholders will be named the Road Safety Investigation Branch.This independent, safety-focused Branch will learn the lessons from road collisions and other incidents including those involving self-driving vehicles, by carrying out independent investigations and making recommendations to prevent future incidents, make our roads even safer and save lives across the country. The Branch will also provide vital insight into safety trends related to new and evolving technologies, which will help ensure road safety policy keeps pace with new developments.We expect to include measures to enable creation of the Branch in the forthcoming Transport Bill.

Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport

Media Policy Update

Ms Nadine Dorries: On 18 March 2022 local news publisher Newsquest Media Group Limited (“Newsquest”) acquired Archant Community Media Limited (“Archant”).On 26 April the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) wrote to Newsquest Media Group Limited (“Newsquest”) and Archant proprietor, RCapital, to inform them that I was ‘minded to’ issue an Intervention Notice. I outlined that public interest grounds specified in section 58 of the Enterprise Act 2002 may be relevant to the transaction - in particular, the need for, to the extent that it is reasonable and practicable, a sufficient plurality of views in newspapers in each market for newspapers in the United Kingdom or a part of the United Kingdom.In line with the statutory guidance on media mergers, the ‘minded to’ letter invited further representations in writing from the parties. I have now come to a final decision, which needs to be made on a quasi-judicial basis, on whether to issue an Intervention Notice.In light of the new information provided to me by the parties to the merger, I have decided not to intervene in the merger. The information provided by the parties addressed my concerns regarding the potential grounds for a public interest intervention, including the need, to the extent that it is reasonable and practicable, for a sufficient plurality of views in newspapers in each market for newspapers in the United Kingdom or a part of the United Kingdom.Officials have written to Newsquest and RCapital to inform them that, without prejudice to my ability to intervene if new or additional information comes to my attention, I do not intend to intervene in the merger on media public interest grounds.

Call for evidence on short-term holiday letting in England

Nigel Huddleston: The Government is today publishing a call for evidence looking at short-term and holiday letting in England. This call for evidence will improve the evidence base on the tourism sector, gathering views and information on a range of issues related to short term lets. This will improve the Government’s understanding of the benefits and challenges of the increase in short-term and holiday letting in England in recent years, and will help us to determine whether there are options the government should pursue through a formal consultation, in line with commitments set out in the Tourism Recovery plan which was published in June 2021.The guest accommodation sector has changed significantly over the last fifteen years, both within England and across the world. In particular, there has been a major expansion in the number and range of accommodation suppliers operating in the market, driven by the growth of online platforms. Whilst such platforms provide a new route to market for many forms of guest accommodation, it is the increase in short-term letting of residential premises through them that is perhaps the most notable development.The sharing economy has brought many benefits, both to the tourism sector and the wider economy, but also to individual homeowners by creating an additional income stream, and to consumers by broadening the range of available accommodation. However the Government also recognises that the rise in short-term and holiday letting has prompted a range of concerns. These include the impact on the housing market and local communities, particularly in tourism hotspots, and a sense that new entrants in the market are not being held to the same health and safety standards as traditional operators of guest accommodation such as hotels and bed and breakfasts. Many other countries and cities have introduced measures in recent years in response to some of these issues. As the tourism sector recovers from COVID-19, the government believes that now is the right time to assess the picture in England.The call for evidence will allow us to collect information on this important issue, and if necessary develop proportionate, evidence-based policy options for a possible future consultation. I am also cognisant of commitments in the Levelling Up White Paper to explore proposals for introducing a National Landlord Register in England, and my Department will continue to work closely with the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities to ensure the government is joined up in identifying the right solutions for each sector.The Government is keen to hear from all interested parties, including hosts, guest accommodation businesses, online peer-to-peer platforms, enforcement agencies and tourism representative bodies. I will place a copy of the call for evidence in the libraries of both Houses.

Home Office

Consultations seeking views on changes to the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 Codes of Practice

Damian Hinds: The Proceeds of Crime Act contains a comprehensive package of measures designed to make the recovery of unlawfully held assets more effective. The operation of certain powers within POCA are subject to guidance in various Codes of Practice issued by the Home Secretary, the Attorney General and the Advocate General for Northern Ireland, the Department of Justice and Scottish Ministers. An existing Code of Practice needs to be updated to reflect changes made to the UWO regime following the commencement of the expedited Economic Crime (Transparency and Enforcement) Act (EC(TE) Act) on 15th May 2022. POCA provides that before a revised Code of Practice is issued, I must consider any representations made and modify the Codes as appropriate, and subsequently lay the Codes before Parliament for approval. I intend to consult on changes to the following Code of Practice: The Investigations Code of Practice issued under s.377 of the Proceeds of Crime Act, which provides guidance for investigators in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. My rt hon Friend the Attorney General will also launch a consultation in tandem with this one, to seek a view on one further Code, which provides guidance for prosecutors in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. I will arrange for a copy of the consultation on the Investigations Code of Practice to be placed in the libraries of both Houses. The Attorney General will arrange for a copy of the consultation on the Code providing guidance for prosecutors to be placed in the libraries of both Houses. Following the introduction of the upcoming Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Bill, I will launch another consultation on further changes to the same Code in relation to new powers to support the recovery of cryptoassets. I then intend to lay a statutory instrument to issue an updated Code of Practice under the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 (POCA) to reflect both sets of changes once the ECCT Bill is in force.

Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

Use of the Industrial Development Act 1982 for Coronavirus related assistance

Lee Rowley: I am tabling this statement for the benefit of Hon. Members to bring to their attention spend under the Industrial Development Act 1982. In addition to the obligation to report on spend under the Industrial Development Act annually, the Coronavirus Act 2020 created a new quarterly reporting requirement for spend which has been designated as coronavirus-related under the Coronavirus Act. This statement fulfils that purpose.The statement also includes a report of the movement in contingent liability during the quarter. Hon. Members will wish to note that measures such as Local Authority grants, the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme and Self-Employed Income Support Scheme, and tax measures such as the suspension of Business Rates are not provided under the Industrial Development Act 1982 and hence are not included below.This report covers the fourth quarter of 2021, from 1 October to 31 December 2021, in accordance with the Coronavirus Act.The Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs has a negative expenditure in the fourth quarter of 2021 because the process to recover grant money underspent by applicants began in October 2021.The Written Ministerial Statement covering the third quarter of 2021 was published on 7th March 2022.Spend under the Coronavirus Act 2020Under the Coronavirus Act 2020, there is a requirement to lay before Parliament details of the amount of assistance designated as Coronavirus related provided in each relevant quarter. In the period from 1 October to 31 December 2021, the following expenditures were incurred:Actual expenditure of assistance provided by Her Majesty’s Government from 1 October to 31 December 2021£ 207,341,876Actual expenditure of assistance provided by Her Majesty’s Government from 25 March 2020£ 3,825,302,126Expenditure by DepartmentActual expenditure of assistance from 1 October to 31 December 2021 provided by: Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy£ 199,303,263Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs£ - 213,724Department for Transport£ 8,252,337Contingent liability under the Coronavirus Act 2020Contingent liability of assistance provided by the Secretary of State from 1 October to 31 December 2021£ 1,863,365,448All contingent liability of assistance provided by the Secretary of State from 25 March 2020£ 74,541,176,467

Department of Health and Social Care

Health and Social Care Update

Sajid Javid: I would like to inform the House that A Plan for Digital Health and Social Care has been published today. This document sets out how we will build a more digitised, more efficient and more personalised health and care system.Earlier this year, I made a speech setting out my four priorities for reform in health; prevention, personalisation, people and performance. We cannot deliver the change we need to see, unless we embrace the opportunities from digital technologies.We are now embarking on a transformative programme of reforms that will make sure the NHS is set up to meet the challenges of 2048, not of 1948, when it was first established, and also to make the vital changes that are so urgently required in social care.On 13 June we published a strategy for a data-enabled health and social care sector, Data Saves Lives, which draws on lessons learned about the power of data from the response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Data Saves Lives includes a range of commitments that will help connect systems and details how we will use data flowing through the digitised health and social care system to continually improve services while maintaining the highest standards of privacy and ethics.The long-term sustainability of health and social care is dependent on having the right digital foundations in place, and so digital transformation is crucial in achieving and delivering these reforms.This Plan sets how the delivery of health and social care will change, taking forward what we have learnt from the pandemic, and from tech pioneers across the world. The aim is something that we can all get behind: a health and social care system that will be much faster and more effective, and delivers more personalised care.Digital is not, and will not, be the only means of access to health and social care services, but through it we can ensure that the needs and preferences of individuals are reflected in the services we provide.Health and social care organisations and partners from industry can use the Plan to help shape their strategies to digitally transform services for their populations.The NHS App will be at the heart of these plans. We saw during the pandemic how people grasped the opportunity to have healthcare at their fingertips.I am determined to make this app the front door to NHS services, and this Plan shows how we will add an array of new features over the coming months and years, with new functionality and more value for patients every single month. My vision is one in which the app is an assistant in your pocket and a permanent feature of how we do healthcare in this country.With digitised services and a connected system that supports integration and harnesses the power of data, technology can create a transformed health and social care system that is more responsive to the needs and preferences of all people, identifies and reduces health disparities and delivers improved outcomes for everyone.We have already made huge progress. Over 28 million people now have the NHS App in their pocket, over 40 million people have an NHS login, and most NHS trusts have an electronic patient record system in place. This is on top of unprecedented investment in the digitisation of adult social care, including £150 million of funding for digital adoption that we announced in our recent White Paper.This Plan sets out the next chapter of this story of digital transformation. It sets out a vision of how we will build a more connected and much more efficient system.The opportunities offered by digital transformation are huge, with benefits over the next decade running to billions of pounds in efficiencies, economic growth and private investment.That Plan includes a raft of other initiatives, £2 billion of funding to support electronic patient records to be in all NHS trusts, and help over 500,000 people to use digital tools to manage their long-term health conditions in their own homes.Just as we are putting the right technology in place, we also need to make sure that people are confident and supported in using it. The Plan also shows how we will relentlessly focus on digital skills, leadership and culture as well as building patient trust, at all levels, so we can make transformation durable right across the board.This agenda matters more than it did when this pandemic began. I am determined to use the power of technology and the skills, leadership and culture that underpins it, to drive a new era of digital transformation. So that our health and care system, and our country, will thrive long into the future, delivering vast benefits for patients.I will deposit a copy of the Plan in the Libraries of both Houses.

Correction to PQ107645

Maggie Throup: I would like to amend a written answer that I gave to the House on 28 April 2022.In response to written question 107645, I stated that those who are on legacy benefits and have a change in status such as a new child would move to Universal Credit in order for their benefit claim to accommodate their change in status, and therefore will be eligible for the Healthy Start Scheme. However, this information was not wholly accurate. Families on legacy benefits who have a first child move automatically to Universal Credit and so become eligible for the Healthy Start scheme. Families having a second or subsequent child may choose to remain on legacy benefits and, if they do, would not be eligible for Healthy Start.